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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32039-8.txt b/32039-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a9d4aac --- /dev/null +++ b/32039-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1015 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Third Day at Stone's River, by Gilbert C. Kniffin + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Third Day at Stone's River + +Author: Gilbert C. Kniffin + +Release Date: April 18, 2010 [EBook #32039] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THIRD DAY AT STONE'S RIVER *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + Military Order of the Loyal Legion + Of the + United States. + + + COMMANDERY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. + + + WAR PAPERS. + 69 + + The Third Day at Stone's River. + + + PREPARED BY COMPANION + LIEUTENANT-COLONEL + GILBERT C. KNIFFIN, + U. S. VOLUNTEERS, + + AND + READ AT THE STATED MEETING OF MAY 1, 1907. + + + + +The Third Day at Stone's River. + + +While the heroic commander of the Union Army, with fearless confidence in +his remaining troops, was hurling the hard-hitting brigades of the left +and center upon Hardee's victorious advance during the first day of the +fight at Stones River, kindling anew the dying embers of hope in the +breasts of the retreating soldiers of the right, and by his exalted +courage snatching victory from the jaws of defeat; while Thomas calm and +brave, with perfect presence of mind, superintended every move in the +desperate game of battle, watchful of every point, a tower of strength to +his devoted men, and Crittenden, more cheerful than usual in the hell of +carnage that raged along his front, brought regiment after regiment and +battery after battery in support of the point where Hazen, and Hascall, +and Grose, and Cruft were clinging tenaciously to their position, and +beating back the desperate charges of Polk and Breckinridge, the cavalry +were performing prodigies of valor in the rear and on the right. General +Wheeler, on his return from his exploits at La Verne, to the rear of +Hardee's line on the morning of the 31st, found that the battle had +opened. He immediately joined in the pursuit of Johnson's retiring +division, while Wharton, in command of ten regiments of cavalry, and a +battery of artillery, moved over towards the Nashville pike and turned his +attention to the immense supply train of the army. A portion of this +train, six miles long when stretched out upon the road, was moving across +the country from the Wilkinson to the Nashville pike. The scene was one of +the most indescribable confusion. Urged by impending calamity the +canvas-covered wagons flew across the fields with the velocity of +four-mule power, each driver plying whip and spur; sutler wagons bounding +over the rocks, distributed their precious contents along the way. +Stanley's thin line of cavalry, stretching from the woods in the rear of +Negley to the right and left, rested its right flank upon the Wilkinson +pike, where Colonel Zahm, with the First, Third, and Fourth Ohio Cavalry +was stationed in rear of Overall's Creek. + +Colonel Minty, in command of 950 cavalry, crossed Overall's Creek early in +the morning and took position parallel to and a mile distant from the +Nashville pike. The Fourth Michigan and First Tennessee dismounted, formed +a skirmish line with Jenning's Battalion of the Seventh Pennsylvania and +two companies of the Third Kentucky, under Captain Davis, supported by the +Anderson Troop in their rear. Wharton advanced at full charge, after a few +volleys from his artillery, but meeting with stubborn resistance drew off, +but in a few minutes rallied and bore down, two thousand strong, upon +Minty's little command. The Anderson Troop gave way and the Confederate +troopers swept past the left. Hastily remounting, the remainder of the +command fell back across an open field out of range of the artillery, +leaving the train, with fully a thousand fugitives from the battle-field, +in possession of the enemy. At daybreak Zahm's brigade was drawn up in +line of battle and two squadrons were sent to the right and front to +reconnoitre. Soon the cannons' opening roar upon his left announced the +beginning of battle. The rush of infantry to the rear gave token of +disaster. Now came the exultant shout of victory and the sweeping charge +of McCown's columns overlapping Johnson, and appearing on the right of the +cavalry. Falling back, Zahm formed in line of battle a mile in rear, +where the enemy opened upon him with artillery The first shell killed +Major Moore, of the First Ohio. Again he fell back, when Willich's old +regiment halted in its retreat and formed in support of the cavalry, when +the two repulsed a charge, but only for a moment. The torrent of fugitives +fled through the woods like leaves before the blast, and after them +pressed the charging regiments of Ector and Raines' Confederate cavalry in +resistless volume. Meanwhile, Wharton's Cavalry Brigade was moving rapidly +past Colonel Zahm's right, and the Confederate infantry pushing by his +left at a distance of two hundred yards. An aide to General McCook came +requesting succor for the supply train moving over toward the Nashville +pike. Col. Gates P. Thruston, one of McCook's aides, gave a graphic +picture of the capture and recapture of the precious supply train. +"McCook's baggage train, starting for the rear, was soon in the hands of +the enemy; our supply trains shared the same fate. Gen. Joe Wheeler's +command appeared in rear of our flank on the Murfreesboro pike, and all +soon became excitement and confusion there. Wharton, after a succession of +captures, charged over the fields in rear far down toward our infantry +lines, sweeping everything before him. By Rosecrans' orders Stanley's +Cavalry hastened to the rescue. There was a succession of conflicts over a +wide field, with varying fortunes. The whole area in rear between our +right and left was a scene of strife and confusion that beggars +description. Stragglers from the front, teamsters, couriers, negro +servants, hospital attendants, ambulances added to the turmoil. Wounded +and riderless horses and cattle, wild with fright, rushed frantically over +the field. + +While in the open ground, moving our ammunition train rapidly to the left, +it was discovered by the enemy. In my anxiety for its safety I had +already reported the importance of the train to every cavalry officer +within reach, and appealed for protection. Colonel Zahm, of the Second +Ohio Cavalry as he states in his report (official record), promised me all +possible help, and promptly formed his regiment in line for that purpose. +Major Pugh, of the Fourth Ohio Cavalry, at my request also placed his +regiment on our flank, facing the enemy. The First Ohio and the Second +East Tennessee and a battalion of the Third Ohio Cavalry were near at +hand. + +Alas, when the crisis came a few minutes later they were not in position +to successfully withstand the shock. They were unprepared, and not in +brigade line. Wharton's Confederates unexpectedly appeared in great force. +His artillery opened fire furiously upon the Fourth Ohio Cavalry, and +threw the regiment into some confusion. Soon apparently his entire command +charged down upon us like a tempest, his troopers yelling like a lot of +devils. They first struck the Fourth Ohio, which could make but little +resistance. Col. Minor Millikin, the gallant commander of the First Ohio, +led a portion of his regiment in a brilliant counter charge, but had to +retire with fearful losses. In the onslaught the dear, fearless colonel, +my intimate college friend, engaged in single combat with a Texas ranger, +and was slain. + +"There was no staying the Confederates. They outnumbered and outflanked +us, and, to tell the melancholy truth, our defending cavalry finally +retired in confusion to the rear and left the ammunition train to its +fate--high and dry in a corn field. As may be imagined, our teamsters, the +train guards, and the ordnance officer (yes, I must admit it), were not +left far behind in the general stampede. We fired one volley from behind +the protection of our wagons and then hunted cover in the rear of a +friendly fence and in the nearest thicket. Our teamsters outran the +cavalry. Most of them never reappeared. The Confederates began to collect +and lead away our teams and wagons, and our condition seemed desperate, +indeed, hopeless. + +"Happily, this appalling state of affairs did not last long. Some of our +cavalry rallied, other Union detachments came to the rescue. Wharton had +soon to look to his own flanks, and was kept too busy to carry off our +train. The conflict fortunately shifted. Capt. Elmer Otis, with six +companies of the Fourth Regular Cavalry, attacked Wharton's command with +great vigor and success. Soon two battalions of the Third Ohio Cavalry +came up from the rear. I hastened to appeal to the commander to aid our +train guard in saving the train, and he at once covered our front and held +the enemy in check until our badly-wrecked train, with its disabled wagons +and scattered animals was reorganized and put in moving order. We repaired +and patched up the breaks. Everybody, even officers and stragglers helped, +and nearly every wagon was finally recovered." + +The third attack referred to by General Thruston came from a force that +Wharton had not yet met. Before they had time to take advantage of their +success, Kennett was upon them. Col. Eli H. Murray, at the head of his +gallant regiment, the Third Kentucky, charged down upon the train, +sweeping Wharton's cavalry before him. Here the brave Captain Wolfley, +with eighty men, and Captain Breathitt, with his battalion, charged with +such velocity as to turn the tide of battle, driving the rear forward upon +the front, where the Fourth Cavalry struck it with drawn sabers. The rout +of the Confederates was complete. The entire train, with 250 prisoners, +were recaptured. The hospital of Palmer's division, which had fallen into +their hands, as well as the Fifth Wisconsin Battery, and one section of +the First Ohio, were recaptured, and Wharton's Brigade routed and driven +back two miles. The Third Ohio easily rallied and took part in the fray. +Captain Otis' saber charge was brilliantly executed. Dashing forward with +the velocity of a locomotive, the trained battalions fell upon the +undisciplined mob huddled together at the head of the train where Murray +had swept them in his irresistible onslaught. The train was moved close up +in the rear of the left wing, where it remained unmolested during the +remainder of the day. In a battle such as that at Stones River, where a +long line of troops is engaged simultaneously, it is impossible to give +due credit to each regiment that deserves it. The writer witnessed scenes +of personal daring which to recount would occupy the night in the +description. There were many instances in which officers, casting aside +their swords, seized the muskets of their fallen soldiers, and fought side +by side with their men. Entire companies fought without officers. In great +emergencies such as this there is positively no rank except that which +valor bestows. Orders to fall back were in several cases unheeded, and the +men held their places in line under the leaden hail, obstinately refusing +to retreat. It was not merely a line of battle, but a Nation in arms, +repelling, with a Nation's pride, this bold assault of its rebellious sons +upon its life. + +Darkness covered the battle-field. The roar of artillery, the rattle of +musketry, the hoarse shouts of command had ceased, and in the silence that +followed there fell upon the ears of the soldiers on picket the groans of +men in mortal agony lying within the space that separated the lines. In +rear of the pickets men sank upon the ground where they stood and shivered +through the night without fires, for the faintest flash of light on either +side became a target for alert artillerists. A cup of hot coffee, that +_Dominus donari_ to the weary soldier, on this night of all nights when he +needed it most, was denied him. All through the night the ambulances +passed to and fro on the road to the hospitals, where further torture +awaited the wounded, unless the angel of death kindly relieved them of the +ministrations of the surgeons. A space twenty yards in front of the White +House, near Overall's Creek, was covered with the mangled forms of men +awaiting their turn upon the operating tables. Inside were groups of +surgeons with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, their brawny arms red with +blood, one handling the saw, another the knife, another the probe, while +others bound up the bleeding stumps and turned the patient, henceforth the +Nation's ward, over to nurses, who bore them tenderly away. In a corner +lay a ghastly heap of arms and legs and hands and feet, useless +forevermore. The busy fingers which had indited the last fond message to +the anxious wife or mother would never caress them more. Does this +horrible recital grate upon the ear? It is as much a part of the history +of a battle as is the furious charge and repulse from which it resulted. +Forty years have passed since that awful scene was witnessed. The stalwart +young men left upon the firing line are old men now, and, in the judgment +of some chiefs of bureaus, too old to longer serve the Government. + +The writer, returning from a ride along the lines, where he had been under +orders to see that all fires were extinguished, came upon a regular +battery, in the rear of which, at the bottom of a trench of glowing coals, +the artillerists were cooking supper. The savory smell of broiling steak +and steaming pots of coffee saluted his nostrils. Dismounting, he was at +once invited to partake of a soldier's hospitality. His tired horse was +fed, and in a moment he received at the hands of a grizzly veteran a cup +of coffee and a cake of hard bread, covered with juicy steak, tender and +succulent. His meal dispatched, he was about to remount and ride back to +headquarters, when he was asked if he knew where the steak came from. He +said he did not, but that it was the best he ever ate. "Come here, and I +will show you," said the sergeant. He led the way a few yards distant +where an artillery horse lay dead, killed by a cannon ball. His flank had +been stripped of the skin, and the tender, juicy steak that had +contributed to the enjoyment of the writer had been cut from the flesh. + +At army headquarters a strange scene, revealing the characteristics of the +prominent commanding officers, was presented. With prudent regard for the +safety of his supplies, General Rosecrans had ordered the subsistence +train back to Nashville, thus enabling him to manoeuver his army without +regard to front or rear. There was no indication that Bragg contemplated +withdrawal, and the prevailing impression was that a heavy assault would +be made upon some point of the Union line early in the morning. Where +would the blow fall? Would the line at that point be strong enough to +resist it? Has Bragg any troops that have not been engaged? Are +reinforcements for him on the way? were questions more easily asked than +answered. + +Mounting his horse, the commanding general rode to the rear, accompanied +by General Stanley and a few staff officers. Past the hospital, to +Overall's Creek, the group of horsemen pursued their way. In the fields on +both sides of the road the darkness was dispelled by bivouac fires lighted +by the straggling soldiery of the right wing. Along the pike the long +supply train moved slowly and steadily toward Nashville, while here and +there a few wagons were cut out of it by a faithful commissary, the +contents of which, after a hard night's work, he would succeed in +transferring to the soldiers' haversacks. + +Walker's and Starkweather's brigades had already passed to the front, +where the former bivouacked in close column in reserve in rear of McCook's +left, and the latter, posted on the left of Sheridan, next morning +relieved Van Cleve's division, now commanded by Col. Sam Beatty, which +resumed its position in the left wing. Generals Van Cleve and Wood, each +suffering from wounds in the foot, were sent in ambulances back to +Nashville. + +Headquarters were located in a double log house, which then stood on the +east side of the turnpike about opposite the lower ford of Stones River. +In a room on the left hand, General Thomas sat before a fire, asleep; the +officers of his staff, stretched upon the floor, with their feet to the +fire, were also asleep. Ready at a moment's warning to obey any order that +might be given him, the old soldier was snatching a brief respite from +care, in the friendly arms of Morpheus. To a question of General +Rosecrans, earlier in the evening, he had made the characteristic reply: +"The question of retiring from the battle-field is one of such delicacy +that I am quite willing to leave it to the judgment of the commanding +general." On the right of the passageway a far different scene was +presented. General Crittenden paced the floor with quick, impatient +stride. "Communication is cut off," said one. "We must fall back," said +another, and the words were deliberately uttered by a brave man. "My corps +is not whipped," shouted Crittenden, "and we must not fall back." At this +moment General Rosecrans entered the room and caught the expression as it +fell from the lips of his heroic commander. "Gentlemen, we fight or die +right here," said the chief as he passed them and took a seat by the fire. + +The sun of the New Year rose bright and fair; an occasional gun gave token +of the proximity of the two contending armies. During the night Rosecrans +retired his left to a more advantageous position, the extreme left resting +on Stones River above the lower ford and extending to Stokes' Battery, +posted on a knoll on Rousseau's right. Beatty's division was posted across +Stones River on the margin of the woodland that covered a gentle slope +from the river to an open field in their front. Across the field, the +Lebanon road, running nearly at right angles with the front of Beatty's +line, was nearly in sight. Off to their right and front an elevation still +held by Hanson's Brigade of Breckinridge's division, was crowned by Cobb's +Battery of Artillery. The Confederate line, formed by Polk and +Breckinridge on the right and Hardee on the left, extended from the point +on Stones River where Chalmer's Brigade had bivouacked since the 28th, in +a direction almost at right angles with its original line. + +The body of the brave General Sill was found where it had fallen, and sent +to Murfreesboro, where it was buried. At dawn on the 1st of January the +right flank of General Polk was advanced to occupy the ground vacated by +the left flank of the Union Army. Neither commander deemed it advisable to +attack, but each was watchful of every movement of the other. The picket +lines of either side were thrust forward within sight of the main lines of +the opposing force, on the alert to notify their commanders of any +movement in their front. As two gladiators of equal strength, who, having +fought until nature is exhausted, stretch their herculean forms upon the +earth, each confident that his antagonist is as unable as himself to renew +the contest, rise when refreshed and glare upon each other, watchful for +advantage, so were these contending armies, drawn up in firm array, weaker +in numerical strength, but more compact and infinitely stronger in +indomitable will, on the morning of the New Year, each awaiting the order +to advance and close in a final struggle. It was the crouching of tigers +before the death grapple. + +The rest afforded the weary troops of both armies, many of whom were +smarting with wounds which were not sufficiently serious to render their +removal to the hospital necessary, fell with the grace of a benediction +upon the scene of strife. As the ponderous bells of a great city, at +stated periods, rising above the hum of traffic fill the air with the +uproar of deep, sonorous strokes, and smaller ones fill with their clangor +the intervals of sound, so did the artillery ever and anon break upon the +silence with sullen roar, while the sharp rattle of picket firing, now on +the right, then on the left, recall the terrible strife of yesterday and +foretell the impending conflict. + +Night came, and the contending hosts sank to rest in the mud, upon their +arms, in the rear of the stout picket lines, lulled to sleep by the +booming of an occasional gun or the report of an exploding shell. The sun +arose upon the second morning of the new year and glowed pleasantly upon +Union and Confederate alike. The exercises of the day commenced as usual +by picket firing along the lines, and was followed by an artillery duel +between Estepp's Battery of Wood's division and Scott's Battery of +Cheatham's division, in front of the Round Forrest, in which Estepp was +worsted. Bradley took up the gauntlet and was fast getting the best of it +when one of the batteries in his rear undertook to throw grape over his +head, when he was forced to retire. + +Reinforcements now came to both sides and a spirited contest ensued. +Stokes, Loomis, and Guenther each in succession took part in the fight, +which was confined exclusively to artillery. Robertson's Battery of +Wither's division, from its position near the Burnt Brick House, and +Semple's Battery on the left, had accurate range of the Union batteries, +and their guns were handled with skill. But the artillery fire soon +ceased. Chalmer's Brigade had advanced early on New Year's morning, and +his skirmishers now occupied the ground which Hazen had so stubbornly +contended for on the first day of the battle. Price's Brigade, which +assumed its position in Van Cleve's division, now commanded by Col. Samuel +Beatty, was on the right of the division. + +The line as thus formed was at right angles with the river, upon which its +right flank rested, and nearly parallel to Breckinridge's original line. +Below the right of the line the river suddenly changes direction, flowing +about a half a mile in rear and nearly parallel with the line. The gently +sloping ground was woodland on the right and open field on the left. + +To strengthen the left flank, Colonel Grose's Brigade of Palmer's +division, reduced by hard fighting on the 31st to 1,000 effectives, was +ordered by General Crittenden to cross the river on the morning of the 2d +of January. These dispositions were barely completed and temporary +breastworks constructed when, at four o'clock, a magnificent sight +presented itself. General Bragg confidently expected to find the Union +Army gone from his front on the morning of the 2d of January. His cavalry +had reported the Nashville pike full of troops and wagons moving toward +Nashville. On the return of the cavalry expedition he sent Wharton to +assume command of the cavalry on the Lebanon road, consisting of his own +and Pegram's Brigade, while Wheeler, with his brigade, returned to the +vicinity of the Nashville pike to observe the movements of the Union Army +in that direction. Before Wharton had taken his position, the force east +of Stones River had attracted Bragg's attention, and reconnaissances by +staff officers revealed the line of battle formed by Beatty's division and +Grose's Brigade. From the position occupied by this force, Polk's line, +which, it will be remembered, had advanced as far as the position vacated +by Rosecrans' left on the night of the 31st, was enfiladed. Bragg says: +"The dislodgement of this force, or the withdrawal of Polk's line, was an +evident necessity. The latter involved consequences not to be entertained. +Orders were accordingly given for the concentration of the whole of +General Breckinridge's division in front of the position to be taken, the +addition to his command of ten Napoleon guns (12-pounders), under Captain +Robertson, an able and accomplished artillery officer, and for the cavalry +forces of Wharton and Pegram to join in the attack on his right." General +Breckinridge was sent for and the object of the movement explained to him. +He was ordered to drive the Union line back, crown the hill, entrench the +artillery, and hold the position. General Breckinridge was opposed to the +attack as ordered by General Bragg, and tried to dissuade him from it, +predicting disaster, as the ground occupied by the main portion of the +Union troops on the bluff on the opposite bank of the river was +considerably higher than that over which the attacking force must march, +and it was possible for Rosecrans to mass artillery and sweep the whole +field. In urging his opinions he drew, with a stick, on the ground the +position of the contending forces. Considerable time was occupied in the +discussion, but Bragg remained firm, and finally ended the discussion by +an imperative command to move at once to the attack. As General +Breckinridge rode forward to his command he met General Preston, +commanding his Third Brigade, and said: "This attack is made against my +judgment and by the special orders of General Bragg. Of course we must all +do our duty and fight the best we can. If it should result in disaster, +and I be among the slain, I want you to do justice to my memory, and tell +the people that I believed this movement to be very unwise, and that I +tried to prevent it." + +To distract the attention from the real point of attack a heavy artillery +fire was ordered to be opened from Polk's front at the exact hour at which +the movement was to begin. At other points along both lines all was quiet, +and at half-past three General Breckinridge reported that he would advance +at four o'clock. The effective strength of Breckinridge's division on the +morning of the 31st was 7,053. Adding two batteries and deducting 730 men +disabled in the three brigades of Palmer, Preston, and Adams, in the +assault of the 31st in front of the Round Forrest, left 6,576 infantry and +artillery, 3,000 cavalry, and seven batteries of artillery with which to +make the attack. Hanson's fine brigade of Kentuckians, who had signalized +their valor at Shiloh and Baton Rouge, 1,000 strong, had up to this time +been disengaged. + +The movement of Breckinridge's command was observed by General Crittenden +from the bluff on the opposite bank of Stones River, above the lower ford, +from the moment that the advance commenced. To reach Beatty's line it was +necessary to cross an open space six or seven hundred yards in width, with +a gentle ascent, in full view from the opposite shore, as well as from the +front line of Beatty's division. In the assault that followed a brief +cannonade, Hanson's left was thrown forward close to the river bank, with +guns loaded and bayonets fixed, under orders to fire once, then charge +with the bayonet. This charge of General Breckinridge will live in the +memories of those who witnessed it, coupled in precision of formation, in +rapidity of movement, and in grandeur of execution, if not in results, +with the charge of the armies of the Cumberland and Tennessee at Mission +Ridge, the storming of Lookout Mountain by Geary's division of Hooker's +Corps, and the no less thrilling spectacle in front of Kenesaw, when the +brave and lamented Harker and McCook, with 2,000 men, were launched +against a fortified position, bristling with artillery, between the two +contending armies. On the right of Price's Brigade the Eighth Kentucky, +commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel May, received the first attack, made by +Colonel Lewis' Sixth Kentucky, Confederate, followed in quick succession +by a charge from Hanson's and Pillow's Brigades; then in successive +strokes from right to left the blows fell all along Beatty's line. +Overborne by the numerical strength of the Confederate brigades, the +gallant men of this veteran division, 2,500 strong fighting bravely, were +hammered back by overwhelming force. For full ten minutes they stood in +line, pouring a galling fire upon the oncoming line, which, leaving its +course marked by the writhing forms of its fallen braves, pressed forward, +overlapping the right, where they were met by Lieutenant-Colonel Evans +with the reserves of the Twenty-first Kentucky, and by Colonel Swayne, +with the Ninety-ninth Ohio. These regiments, changing front to the right, +held their ground firmly and administered volley after volley upon the +skirmishers of the Confederate Sixth Kentucky, who pushed forward toward +the ford. The front line falling back, followed rapidly by the entire +Confederate line, loading as they retired, and turning to fire upon their +assailants, became intermingled with the reserves, when, in a confused +mass, assailants and assailed, fighting hand to hand, moved in a +resistless volume toward the river. The reserve regiments, the Ninth +Kentucky, Lieutenant-Colonel Cram; Nineteenth Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel +Manderson, and the Eleventh Kentucky, Major Mottley, undaunted by the +disaster upon the right, advanced through a thick undergrowth of wild +briars, and came suddenly upon Adam's and Preston's Brigades, which, +driving Fyffe's Brigade and the Seventy-ninth Indiana before them, were +moving with rapid strides toward Grose's position on the extreme left. +Meanwhile the brigades of Hanson and Pillow had gained positions to their +right and the movement toward the ford threatened to cut these regiments +still remaining on the left off from retreat. At Colonel Manderson's +suggestion, Colonel Grider now ordered his brigade to fall back to the +river. Colonel Grider, bearing his regimental flag in his hand, rallied +his brigade three times in succession while retiring, and checked the +advance of the Confederate line by volleys of musketry. The pursuit of +Beatty's three brigades led the Confederate columns to the right of Grose, +and as soon as it could be done with safety Livingston opened upon the +advance with his artillery, but in obedience to an order from General +Rosecrans crossed the river and reopened from the opposite shore. + +The space between the river bank and the ridge occupied by Grose's Brigade +was now a scene of the wildest disorder. Instances of the most exalted +courage were displayed. It was here that Corporal Hochersmith, color guard +of the Twenty-first Kentucky, and Sergeant Gunn, of the same regiment, won +the gold medals voted them by the legislature of their native State. When +confronted by a squad of Lewis' skirmishers, who demanded his flag, the +brave corporal said: "You can take me but not my colors," and threw the +flag over their heads into the river, where it was seized by Sergeant Gunn +and borne in safety through a shower of balls to the opposite shore, where +the regiment immediately rallied around it. + +It may well be understood that General Crittenden, under whose observation +his old division had been driven from its position back across the river, +was by no means an uninterested spectator of the scene. It had all passed +so rapidly as to afford no time to reinforce the line when first +assaulted, and when it had commenced falling back the west side of the +river was evidently the best position to reform and reinforce it. His men +had no sooner gained the low ground near the river than, turning to his +chief of artillery, he said: "Now, Mendenhall, you must cover my men with +your cannon." Never was a more tremendous response to so simple a request. +In his report, Captain Mendenhall says: "Captain Swallow had already +opened with his battery. I ordered Lieutenant Parsons to move a little +forward and open with his guns, then rode back to bring up Lieutenant +Estepp with his Eighth Indiana Battery. Meeting Captain Morton, with his +brigade of Pioneers, he asked for advice, and I told him to move briskly +forward with his brigade and send his battery to the crest of the hill +near the batteries already engaged. The Eighth Indiana Battery took +position on the right of Lieutenant Parsons. Seeing that Lieutenant +Osborne was in position between Parsons and Estepp, I rode to Lieutenant +Stevens, Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Battery, and ordered him to change +front to the left and open fire; then to Captain Standart, and directed +him to move to the left with his guns, and he took position covering the +ford. I found that Captain Bradley had anticipated my wishes, and had +changed front to fire to the left, and opened upon the enemy. This battery +was near the railroad. Lieutenant Livingston crossed the river and opened +fire again. During this terrible encounter, of little more than an hour in +duration, forty-three pieces belonging to the left wing; the 'Board of +Trade' Battery, and nine guns from General Negley's division--fifty-eight +pieces of artillery--played upon the enemy." The effect of the storm of +iron that swept the front of these batteries is indescribable. It tore +through the mass of men as they swarmed down the slope, mowing down scores +at each discharge. Not less than one hundred shots per minute were fired +with unerring aim. Branches of trees, lopped off by cannon balls, +pinioned men to the earth. For a few minutes they held their ground; then +a wild terror seized upon them and bore them away. General Hanson fell +among the first. His brigade lost over 400 in killed and wounded; the loss +in the division was 1,400. There was no thought now of attacking Grose; +there was but one thought paramount in the hearts of all, and that was to +get to a place of safety. They no sooner turned than Beatty's men were +upon them, pouring in volley after volley upon the retreating enemy. +Hazen's Brigade crossed further down the stream; Jeff C. Davis on his +left, Miller and Morton at the ford, and moving rapidly forward the line +swept up the slope. The artillery fire ceased, and the minnie rifles, +taking up the refrain continued it until darkness closed the scene. Three +guns of Wright's Battery, abandoned by Breckinridge, to whose division it +belonged, stood upon the crest of the hill. The horses, killed by the +tempest of iron that had fallen here, lay heaped together; the gunners, +mangled by exploded shells, dotted the ground around the battery. As the +Union line pressed forward on each side a boy clad in Confederate gray +(Private Wright), mounted upon one of the guns, stood guard over the +wreck. Swinging a hatchet above his head he shouted: "The first Yankee +that touches one of these guns dies." Saluting him with a rousing cheer +the line pressed on, leaving this second Cassabianca master of the +situation. + +Although the Confederate forces, yielding to the irresistible logic of +Mendenhall's guns, had considered not so much upon the order of going as +upon its rapidity, until beyond the range of the artillery, many of them +rallied behind Robinson's Battery and Anderson's Brigade in the narrow +skirt of timber, from which they emerged to the assault. The Union line +advanced and took position upon the ground from which Beatty had been +driven an hour before. The picket lines of both armies occupied opposite +sides of the open field, over which Breckinridge had advanced, and +darkness covered the battle-field. During the night General Cleburne moved +his division over to its original position on the right, in support of +Breckinridge, and General Hardee resumed command of that portion of the +line. + +Apprehending the possible success of a flank attack upon his left, Bragg +had caused all the tents and baggage to be loaded on wagons and sent to +the rear. On Saturday morning, the 3d of January, the soldiers of both +armies had been in battle for four days and nights; their provisions, if +cooked at all, were scanty and unfit to eat; their clothing soaked with +rain and stiff with mud, with no fires to dry them and to warm their +chilled bodies, they had responded with a will to every command. With +death beckoning them to his clammy embrace they had advanced with +unfaltering tread, leaving their trail marked by the dead forms of their +comrades. Even now there was no word of complaint. It rested with the +generals in command of the contending armies whether another holocaust of +lives should be offered before either would acknowledge himself +vanquished. No thought of retreat had at any time entered the minds of +Rosecrans, Thomas, or Crittenden. With one exception, neither of the +division commanders in the center or on the left wings had favored it. +McCook, after his bloody repulse on the 31st, had advised falling back +upon Nashville upon purely military grounds, but had readily acquiesced in +the decision of the commanding general to "fight or die right here." The +fugitives in his command who had not pursued their shameless way to +Nashville had rallied to their standards and were anxious to restore their +tarnished laurels. The losses during the three days of battle were nearly +evenly divided. General Bragg acknowledged a loss of 9,000 in killed and +wounded, 25 per cent of his army of 38,250, while General Rosecrans' +report shows a loss of 8,778, over 20 per cent of killed and wounded of +his force of 43,400. It is impossible to do full justice to the heroic +constancy of the soldiers of the Union, whose valor wrung victory from +defeat on the morning of the 31st of December, and who all through that +terrible day bared their breasts to the storm of battle. To the living the +great wealth of a Nation's gratitude is due, but to those to whom death +came in the cause of National unity, his + + "Voice sounds like a prophet's word + And in its solemn tones are heard + The thanks of millions yet to be." + +It came like a pćan of victory to the ears of the long suffering President +and to the sorely taxed patience of the loyal people of the United States. +It fell with the dull thud of a mortal wound upon the hearts of the +Southern people. Gone and forever dispelled were the fond delusions that +one Confederate was equal to three Yankees. Henceforth it was known by +each that victory would perch upon the banner of the strongest force, and +that the god of battle was on the side of the heaviest artillery. As the +blood of the martyr is the seed of the church, so was that spilled at +Stones River the inspiration by which the magnificent Army of the +Cumberland bore its banners through two years more of carnage to final +victory. They renewed their vows of fidelity to the flag of their country +upon the field of Chickamauga and upon the bloody slope of Mission Ridge, +and through a hundred days of battle to Atlanta, at Franklin, and +Nashville. Marching through Georgia with Sherman to the sea, the devoted +soldiery followed their leaders with unfaltering courage, billowing every +battle-field with the graves of their fallen comrades. + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: + +The following misprints have been corrected: + "atacked" corrected to "attacked" (page 7) + "impresssion" corrected to "impression" (page 10) + "atack" corrected to "attack" (page 15) + +"Stones" (rather than "Stone's") is used consistently throughout the +original text. + +The lone quotation mark on page 5 appears in this text as it is presented +in the original. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Third Day at Stone's River, by +Gilbert C. 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Kniffin. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + + hr {width: 33%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both;} + + body {margin-left: 12%; margin-right: 12%;} + + .poem {margin-left:15%; margin-right:15%;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right; font-style: normal;} + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's The Third Day at Stone's River, by Gilbert C. Kniffin + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Third Day at Stone's River + +Author: Gilbert C. Kniffin + +Release Date: April 18, 2010 [EBook #32039] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THIRD DAY AT STONE'S RIVER *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<h3>Military Order of the Loyal Legion</h3> +<h4>of the</h4> +<h3>United States.</h3> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/flower.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<h4>COMMANDERY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA</h4> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/flower.jpg" alt="" /></div> +<p> </p> +<h4><span class="u">WAR PAPERS.</span><br />69</h4> +<p> </p> +<h3>The Third Day at Stone’s River.</h3> +<p> </p> +<h5><span class="smcap">prepared by Companion</span><br /> +<span class="smcap">Lieutenant-Colonel</span> GILBERT C. KNIFFIN,<br /> +<span class="smcap">U. S. Volunteers</span>,<br /> +<br /> +AND READ AT THE STATED MEETING OF MAY 1, 1907.</h5> + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> +<h2>The Third Day at Stone’s River.</h2> + +<p>While the heroic commander of the Union Army, with fearless confidence in +his remaining troops, was hurling the hard-hitting brigades of the left +and center upon Hardee’s victorious advance during the first day of the +fight at Stones River, kindling anew the dying embers of hope in the +breasts of the retreating soldiers of the right, and by his exalted +courage snatching victory from the jaws of defeat; while Thomas calm and +brave, with perfect presence of mind, superintended every move in the +desperate game of battle, watchful of every point, a tower of strength to +his devoted men, and Crittenden, more cheerful than usual in the hell of +carnage that raged along his front, brought regiment after regiment and +battery after battery in support of the point where Hazen, and Hascall, +and Grose, and Cruft were clinging tenaciously to their position, and +beating back the desperate charges of Polk and Breckinridge, the cavalry +were performing prodigies of valor in the rear and on the right. General +Wheeler, on his return from his exploits at La Verne, to the rear of +Hardee’s line on the morning of the 31st, found that the battle had +opened. He immediately joined in the pursuit of Johnson’s retiring +division, while Wharton, in command of ten regiments of cavalry, and a +battery of artillery, moved over towards the Nashville pike and turned his +attention to the immense supply train of the army. A portion of this +train, six miles long when stretched out upon the road, was moving across +the country from the Wilkinson to the Nashville pike. The scene was one of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span>the most indescribable confusion. Urged by impending calamity the +canvas-covered wagons flew across the fields with the velocity of +four-mule power, each driver plying whip and spur; sutler wagons bounding +over the rocks, distributed their precious contents along the way. +Stanley’s thin line of cavalry, stretching from the woods in the rear of +Negley to the right and left, rested its right flank upon the Wilkinson +pike, where Colonel Zahm, with the First, Third, and Fourth Ohio Cavalry +was stationed in rear of Overall’s Creek.</p> + +<p>Colonel Minty, in command of 950 cavalry, crossed Overall’s Creek early in +the morning and took position parallel to and a mile distant from the +Nashville pike. The Fourth Michigan and First Tennessee dismounted, formed +a skirmish line with Jenning’s Battalion of the Seventh Pennsylvania and +two companies of the Third Kentucky, under Captain Davis, supported by the +Anderson Troop in their rear. Wharton advanced at full charge, after a few +volleys from his artillery, but meeting with stubborn resistance drew off, +but in a few minutes rallied and bore down, two thousand strong, upon +Minty’s little command. The Anderson Troop gave way and the Confederate +troopers swept past the left. Hastily remounting, the remainder of the +command fell back across an open field out of range of the artillery, +leaving the train, with fully a thousand fugitives from the battle-field, +in possession of the enemy. At daybreak Zahm’s brigade was drawn up in +line of battle and two squadrons were sent to the right and front to +reconnoitre. Soon the cannons’ opening roar upon his left announced the +beginning of battle. The rush of infantry to the rear gave token of +disaster. Now came the exultant shout of victory and the sweeping charge +of McCown’s columns overlapping Johnson, and appearing on the right of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>cavalry. Falling back, Zahm formed in line of battle a mile in rear, +where the enemy opened upon him with artillery The first shell killed +Major Moore, of the First Ohio. Again he fell back, when Willich’s old +regiment halted in its retreat and formed in support of the cavalry, when +the two repulsed a charge, but only for a moment. The torrent of fugitives +fled through the woods like leaves before the blast, and after them +pressed the charging regiments of Ector and Raines’ Confederate cavalry in +resistless volume. Meanwhile, Wharton’s Cavalry Brigade was moving rapidly +past Colonel Zahm’s right, and the Confederate infantry pushing by his +left at a distance of two hundred yards. An aide to General McCook came +requesting succor for the supply train moving over toward the Nashville +pike. Col. Gates P. Thruston, one of McCook’s aides, gave a graphic +picture of the capture and recapture of the precious supply train. +“McCook’s baggage train, starting for the rear, was soon in the hands of +the enemy; our supply trains shared the same fate. Gen. Joe Wheeler’s +command appeared in rear of our flank on the Murfreesboro pike, and all +soon became excitement and confusion there. Wharton, after a succession of +captures, charged over the fields in rear far down toward our infantry +lines, sweeping everything before him. By Rosecrans’ orders Stanley’s +Cavalry hastened to the rescue. There was a succession of conflicts over a +wide field, with varying fortunes. The whole area in rear between our +right and left was a scene of strife and confusion that beggars +description. Stragglers from the front, teamsters, couriers, negro +servants, hospital attendants, ambulances added to the turmoil. Wounded +and riderless horses and cattle, wild with fright, rushed frantically over +the field.</p> + +<p>While in the open ground, moving our ammunition train rapidly to the left, +it was discovered by the enemy. In my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> anxiety for its safety I had +already reported the importance of the train to every cavalry officer +within reach, and appealed for protection. Colonel Zahm, of the Second +Ohio Cavalry as he states in his report (official record), promised me all +possible help, and promptly formed his regiment in line for that purpose. +Major Pugh, of the Fourth Ohio Cavalry, at my request also placed his +regiment on our flank, facing the enemy. The First Ohio and the Second +East Tennessee and a battalion of the Third Ohio Cavalry were near at +hand.</p> + +<p>Alas, when the crisis came a few minutes later they were not in position +to successfully withstand the shock. They were unprepared, and not in +brigade line. Wharton’s Confederates unexpectedly appeared in great force. +His artillery opened fire furiously upon the Fourth Ohio Cavalry, and +threw the regiment into some confusion. Soon apparently his entire command +charged down upon us like a tempest, his troopers yelling like a lot of +devils. They first struck the Fourth Ohio, which could make but little +resistance. Col. Minor Millikin, the gallant commander of the First Ohio, +led a portion of his regiment in a brilliant counter charge, but had to +retire with fearful losses. In the onslaught the dear, fearless colonel, +my intimate college friend, engaged in single combat with a Texas ranger, +and was slain.</p> + +<p>“There was no staying the Confederates. They outnumbered and outflanked +us, and, to tell the melancholy truth, our defending cavalry finally +retired in confusion to the rear and left the ammunition train to its +fate—high and dry in a corn field. As may be imagined, our teamsters, the +train guards, and the ordnance officer (yes, I must admit it), were not +left far behind in the general stampede. We fired one volley from behind +the protection of our wagons and then hunted cover in the rear of a +friendly fence and in the nearest thicket.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> Our teamsters outran the +cavalry. Most of them never reappeared. The Confederates began to collect +and lead away our teams and wagons, and our condition seemed desperate, +indeed, hopeless.</p> + +<p>“Happily, this appalling state of affairs did not last long. Some of our +cavalry rallied, other Union detachments came to the rescue. Wharton had +soon to look to his own flanks, and was kept too busy to carry off our +train. The conflict fortunately shifted. Capt. Elmer Otis, with six +companies of the Fourth Regular Cavalry, <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'atacked'">attacked</ins> Wharton’s command with +great vigor and success. Soon two battalions of the Third Ohio Cavalry +came up from the rear. I hastened to appeal to the commander to aid our +train guard in saving the train, and he at once covered our front and held +the enemy in check until our badly-wrecked train, with its disabled wagons +and scattered animals was reorganized and put in moving order. We repaired +and patched up the breaks. Everybody, even officers and stragglers helped, +and nearly every wagon was finally recovered.”</p> + +<p>The third attack referred to by General Thruston came from a force that +Wharton had not yet met. Before they had time to take advantage of their +success, Kennett was upon them. Col. Eli H. Murray, at the head of his +gallant regiment, the Third Kentucky, charged down upon the train, +sweeping Wharton’s cavalry before him. Here the brave Captain Wolfley, +with eighty men, and Captain Breathitt, with his battalion, charged with +such velocity as to turn the tide of battle, driving the rear forward upon +the front, where the Fourth Cavalry struck it with drawn sabers. The rout +of the Confederates was complete. The entire train, with 250 prisoners, +were recaptured. The hospital of Palmer’s division, which had fallen into +their hands, as well as the Fifth Wisconsin Battery, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> one section of +the First Ohio, were recaptured, and Wharton’s Brigade routed and driven +back two miles. The Third Ohio easily rallied and took part in the fray. +Captain Otis’ saber charge was brilliantly executed. Dashing forward with +the velocity of a locomotive, the trained battalions fell upon the +undisciplined mob huddled together at the head of the train where Murray +had swept them in his irresistible onslaught. The train was moved close up +in the rear of the left wing, where it remained unmolested during the +remainder of the day. In a battle such as that at Stones River, where a +long line of troops is engaged simultaneously, it is impossible to give +due credit to each regiment that deserves it. The writer witnessed scenes +of personal daring which to recount would occupy the night in the +description. There were many instances in which officers, casting aside +their swords, seized the muskets of their fallen soldiers, and fought side +by side with their men. Entire companies fought without officers. In great +emergencies such as this there is positively no rank except that which +valor bestows. Orders to fall back were in several cases unheeded, and the +men held their places in line under the leaden hail, obstinately refusing +to retreat. It was not merely a line of battle, but a Nation in arms, +repelling, with a Nation’s pride, this bold assault of its rebellious sons +upon its life.</p> + +<p>Darkness covered the battle-field. The roar of artillery, the rattle of +musketry, the hoarse shouts of command had ceased, and in the silence that +followed there fell upon the ears of the soldiers on picket the groans of +men in mortal agony lying within the space that separated the lines. In +rear of the pickets men sank upon the ground where they stood and shivered +through the night without fires, for the faintest flash of light on either +side became a target for alert artillerists. A cup of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> hot coffee, that +<i>Dominus donari</i> to the weary soldier, on this night of all nights when he +needed it most, was denied him. All through the night the ambulances +passed to and fro on the road to the hospitals, where further torture +awaited the wounded, unless the angel of death kindly relieved them of the +ministrations of the surgeons. A space twenty yards in front of the White +House, near Overall’s Creek, was covered with the mangled forms of men +awaiting their turn upon the operating tables. Inside were groups of +surgeons with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, their brawny arms red with +blood, one handling the saw, another the knife, another the probe, while +others bound up the bleeding stumps and turned the patient, henceforth the +Nation’s ward, over to nurses, who bore them tenderly away. In a corner +lay a ghastly heap of arms and legs and hands and feet, useless +forevermore. The busy fingers which had indited the last fond message to +the anxious wife or mother would never caress them more. Does this +horrible recital grate upon the ear? It is as much a part of the history +of a battle as is the furious charge and repulse from which it resulted. +Forty years have passed since that awful scene was witnessed. The stalwart +young men left upon the firing line are old men now, and, in the judgment +of some chiefs of bureaus, too old to longer serve the Government.</p> + +<p>The writer, returning from a ride along the lines, where he had been under +orders to see that all fires were extinguished, came upon a regular +battery, in the rear of which, at the bottom of a trench of glowing coals, +the artillerists were cooking supper. The savory smell of broiling steak +and steaming pots of coffee saluted his nostrils. Dismounting, he was at +once invited to partake of a soldier’s hospitality. His tired horse was +fed, and in a moment he received at the hands of a grizzly veteran a cup +of coffee and a cake of hard bread,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> covered with juicy steak, tender and +succulent. His meal dispatched, he was about to remount and ride back to +headquarters, when he was asked if he knew where the steak came from. He +said he did not, but that it was the best he ever ate. “Come here, and I +will show you,” said the sergeant. He led the way a few yards distant +where an artillery horse lay dead, killed by a cannon ball. His flank had +been stripped of the skin, and the tender, juicy steak that had +contributed to the enjoyment of the writer had been cut from the flesh.</p> + +<p>At army headquarters a strange scene, revealing the characteristics of the +prominent commanding officers, was presented. With prudent regard for the +safety of his supplies, General Rosecrans had ordered the subsistence +train back to Nashville, thus enabling him to manoeuver his army without +regard to front or rear. There was no indication that Bragg contemplated +withdrawal, and the prevailing <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'impresssion'">impression</ins> was that a heavy assault would +be made upon some point of the Union line early in the morning. Where +would the blow fall? Would the line at that point be strong enough to +resist it? Has Bragg any troops that have not been engaged? Are +reinforcements for him on the way? were questions more easily asked than +answered.</p> + +<p>Mounting his horse, the commanding general rode to the rear, accompanied +by General Stanley and a few staff officers. Past the hospital, to +Overall’s Creek, the group of horsemen pursued their way. In the fields on +both sides of the road the darkness was dispelled by bivouac fires lighted +by the straggling soldiery of the right wing. Along the pike the long +supply train moved slowly and steadily toward Nashville, while here and +there a few wagons were cut out of it by a faithful commissary, the +contents of which, after a hard night’s work, he would succeed in +transferring to the soldiers’ haversacks.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>Walker’s and Starkweather’s brigades had already passed to the front, +where the former bivouacked in close column in reserve in rear of McCook’s +left, and the latter, posted on the left of Sheridan, next morning +relieved Van Cleve’s division, now commanded by Col. Sam Beatty, which +resumed its position in the left wing. Generals Van Cleve and Wood, each +suffering from wounds in the foot, were sent in ambulances back to +Nashville.</p> + +<p>Headquarters were located in a double log house, which then stood on the +east side of the turnpike about opposite the lower ford of Stones River. +In a room on the left hand, General Thomas sat before a fire, asleep; the +officers of his staff, stretched upon the floor, with their feet to the +fire, were also asleep. Ready at a moment’s warning to obey any order that +might be given him, the old soldier was snatching a brief respite from +care, in the friendly arms of Morpheus. To a question of General +Rosecrans, earlier in the evening, he had made the characteristic reply: +“The question of retiring from the battle-field is one of such delicacy +that I am quite willing to leave it to the judgment of the commanding +general.” On the right of the passageway a far different scene was +presented. General Crittenden paced the floor with quick, impatient +stride. “Communication is cut off,” said one. “We must fall back,” said +another, and the words were deliberately uttered by a brave man. “My corps +is not whipped,” shouted Crittenden, “and we must not fall back.” At this +moment General Rosecrans entered the room and caught the expression as it +fell from the lips of his heroic commander. “Gentlemen, we fight or die +right here,” said the chief as he passed them and took a seat by the fire.</p> + +<p>The sun of the New Year rose bright and fair; an occasional gun gave token +of the proximity of the two contending armies.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> During the night Rosecrans +retired his left to a more advantageous position, the extreme left resting +on Stones River above the lower ford and extending to Stokes’ Battery, +posted on a knoll on Rousseau’s right. Beatty’s division was posted across +Stones River on the margin of the woodland that covered a gentle slope +from the river to an open field in their front. Across the field, the +Lebanon road, running nearly at right angles with the front of Beatty’s +line, was nearly in sight. Off to their right and front an elevation still +held by Hanson’s Brigade of Breckinridge’s division, was crowned by Cobb’s +Battery of Artillery. The Confederate line, formed by Polk and +Breckinridge on the right and Hardee on the left, extended from the point +on Stones River where Chalmer’s Brigade had bivouacked since the 28th, in +a direction almost at right angles with its original line.</p> + +<p>The body of the brave General Sill was found where it had fallen, and sent +to Murfreesboro, where it was buried. At dawn on the 1st of January the +right flank of General Polk was advanced to occupy the ground vacated by +the left flank of the Union Army. Neither commander deemed it advisable to +attack, but each was watchful of every movement of the other. The picket +lines of either side were thrust forward within sight of the main lines of +the opposing force, on the alert to notify their commanders of any +movement in their front. As two gladiators of equal strength, who, having +fought until nature is exhausted, stretch their herculean forms upon the +earth, each confident that his antagonist is as unable as himself to renew +the contest, rise when refreshed and glare upon each other, watchful for +advantage, so were these contending armies, drawn up in firm array, weaker +in numerical strength, but more compact and infinitely stronger in +indomitable will, on the morning of the New Year, each awaiting the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> order +to advance and close in a final struggle. It was the crouching of tigers +before the death grapple.</p> + +<p>The rest afforded the weary troops of both armies, many of whom were +smarting with wounds which were not sufficiently serious to render their +removal to the hospital necessary, fell with the grace of a benediction +upon the scene of strife. As the ponderous bells of a great city, at +stated periods, rising above the hum of traffic fill the air with the +uproar of deep, sonorous strokes, and smaller ones fill with their clangor +the intervals of sound, so did the artillery ever and anon break upon the +silence with sullen roar, while the sharp rattle of picket firing, now on +the right, then on the left, recall the terrible strife of yesterday and +foretell the impending conflict.</p> + +<p>Night came, and the contending hosts sank to rest in the mud, upon their +arms, in the rear of the stout picket lines, lulled to sleep by the +booming of an occasional gun or the report of an exploding shell. The sun +arose upon the second morning of the new year and glowed pleasantly upon +Union and Confederate alike. The exercises of the day commenced as usual +by picket firing along the lines, and was followed by an artillery duel +between Estepp’s Battery of Wood’s division and Scott’s Battery of +Cheatham’s division, in front of the Round Forrest, in which Estepp was +worsted. Bradley took up the gauntlet and was fast getting the best of it +when one of the batteries in his rear undertook to throw grape over his +head, when he was forced to retire.</p> + +<p>Reinforcements now came to both sides and a spirited contest ensued. +Stokes, Loomis, and Guenther each in succession took part in the fight, +which was confined exclusively to artillery. Robertson’s Battery of +Wither’s division, from its position near the Burnt Brick House, and +Semple’s Battery on the left, had accurate range of the Union batteries, +and their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> guns were handled with skill. But the artillery fire soon +ceased. Chalmer’s Brigade had advanced early on New Year’s morning, and +his skirmishers now occupied the ground which Hazen had so stubbornly +contended for on the first day of the battle. Price’s Brigade, which +assumed its position in Van Cleve’s division, now commanded by Col. Samuel +Beatty, was on the right of the division.</p> + +<p>The line as thus formed was at right angles with the river, upon which its +right flank rested, and nearly parallel to Breckinridge’s original line. +Below the right of the line the river suddenly changes direction, flowing +about a half a mile in rear and nearly parallel with the line. The gently +sloping ground was woodland on the right and open field on the left.</p> + +<p>To strengthen the left flank, Colonel Grose’s Brigade of Palmer’s +division, reduced by hard fighting on the 31st to 1,000 effectives, was +ordered by General Crittenden to cross the river on the morning of the 2d +of January. These dispositions were barely completed and temporary +breastworks constructed when, at four o’clock, a magnificent sight +presented itself. General Bragg confidently expected to find the Union +Army gone from his front on the morning of the 2d of January. His cavalry +had reported the Nashville pike full of troops and wagons moving toward +Nashville. On the return of the cavalry expedition he sent Wharton to +assume command of the cavalry on the Lebanon road, consisting of his own +and Pegram’s Brigade, while Wheeler, with his brigade, returned to the +vicinity of the Nashville pike to observe the movements of the Union Army +in that direction. Before Wharton had taken his position, the force east +of Stones River had attracted Bragg’s attention, and reconnaissances by +staff officers revealed the line of battle formed by Beatty’s division and +Grose’s Brigade. From the position occupied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> by this force, Polk’s line, +which, it will be remembered, had advanced as far as the position vacated +by Rosecrans’ left on the night of the 31st, was enfiladed. Bragg says: +“The dislodgement of this force, or the withdrawal of Polk’s line, was an +evident necessity. The latter involved consequences not to be entertained. +Orders were accordingly given for the concentration of the whole of +General Breckinridge’s division in front of the position to be taken, the +addition to his command of ten Napoleon guns (12-pounders), under Captain +Robertson, an able and accomplished artillery officer, and for the cavalry +forces of Wharton and Pegram to join in the <ins class="correction" title="original reads 'atack'">attack</ins> on his right.” General +Breckinridge was sent for and the object of the movement explained to him. +He was ordered to drive the Union line back, crown the hill, entrench the +artillery, and hold the position. General Breckinridge was opposed to the +attack as ordered by General Bragg, and tried to dissuade him from it, +predicting disaster, as the ground occupied by the main portion of the +Union troops on the bluff on the opposite bank of the river was +considerably higher than that over which the attacking force must march, +and it was possible for Rosecrans to mass artillery and sweep the whole +field. In urging his opinions he drew, with a stick, on the ground the +position of the contending forces. Considerable time was occupied in the +discussion, but Bragg remained firm, and finally ended the discussion by +an imperative command to move at once to the attack. As General +Breckinridge rode forward to his command he met General Preston, +commanding his Third Brigade, and said: “This attack is made against my +judgment and by the special orders of General Bragg. Of course we must all +do our duty and fight the best we can. If it should result in disaster, +and I be among the slain, I want you to do justice to my memory, and tell +the people that I believed this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> movement to be very unwise, and that I +tried to prevent it.”</p> + +<p>To distract the attention from the real point of attack a heavy artillery +fire was ordered to be opened from Polk’s front at the exact hour at which +the movement was to begin. At other points along both lines all was quiet, +and at half-past three General Breckinridge reported that he would advance +at four o’clock. The effective strength of Breckinridge’s division on the +morning of the 31st was 7,053. Adding two batteries and deducting 730 men +disabled in the three brigades of Palmer, Preston, and Adams, in the +assault of the 31st in front of the Round Forrest, left 6,576 infantry and +artillery, 3,000 cavalry, and seven batteries of artillery with which to +make the attack. Hanson’s fine brigade of Kentuckians, who had signalized +their valor at Shiloh and Baton Rouge, 1,000 strong, had up to this time +been disengaged.</p> + +<p>The movement of Breckinridge’s command was observed by General Crittenden +from the bluff on the opposite bank of Stones River, above the lower ford, +from the moment that the advance commenced. To reach Beatty’s line it was +necessary to cross an open space six or seven hundred yards in width, with +a gentle ascent, in full view from the opposite shore, as well as from the +front line of Beatty’s division. In the assault that followed a brief +cannonade, Hanson’s left was thrown forward close to the river bank, with +guns loaded and bayonets fixed, under orders to fire once, then charge +with the bayonet. This charge of General Breckinridge will live in the +memories of those who witnessed it, coupled in precision of formation, in +rapidity of movement, and in grandeur of execution, if not in results, +with the charge of the armies of the Cumberland and Tennessee at Mission +Ridge, the storming of Lookout Mountain by Geary’s division of Hooker’s +Corps, and the no less thrilling spectacle in front of Kenesaw, when the +brave and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> lamented Harker and McCook, with 2,000 men, were launched +against a fortified position, bristling with artillery, between the two +contending armies. On the right of Price’s Brigade the Eighth Kentucky, +commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel May, received the first attack, made by +Colonel Lewis’ Sixth Kentucky, Confederate, followed in quick succession +by a charge from Hanson’s and Pillow’s Brigades; then in successive +strokes from right to left the blows fell all along Beatty’s line. +Overborne by the numerical strength of the Confederate brigades, the +gallant men of this veteran division, 2,500 strong fighting bravely, were +hammered back by overwhelming force. For full ten minutes they stood in +line, pouring a galling fire upon the oncoming line, which, leaving its +course marked by the writhing forms of its fallen braves, pressed forward, +overlapping the right, where they were met by Lieutenant-Colonel Evans +with the reserves of the Twenty-first Kentucky, and by Colonel Swayne, +with the Ninety-ninth Ohio. These regiments, changing front to the right, +held their ground firmly and administered volley after volley upon the +skirmishers of the Confederate Sixth Kentucky, who pushed forward toward +the ford. The front line falling back, followed rapidly by the entire +Confederate line, loading as they retired, and turning to fire upon their +assailants, became intermingled with the reserves, when, in a confused +mass, assailants and assailed, fighting hand to hand, moved in a +resistless volume toward the river. The reserve regiments, the Ninth +Kentucky, Lieutenant-Colonel Cram; Nineteenth Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel +Manderson, and the Eleventh Kentucky, Major Mottley, undaunted by the +disaster upon the right, advanced through a thick undergrowth of wild +briars, and came suddenly upon Adam’s and Preston’s Brigades, which, +driving Fyffe’s Brigade and the Seventy-ninth Indiana before them, were +moving<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> with rapid strides toward Grose’s position on the extreme left. +Meanwhile the brigades of Hanson and Pillow had gained positions to their +right and the movement toward the ford threatened to cut these regiments +still remaining on the left off from retreat. At Colonel Manderson’s +suggestion, Colonel Grider now ordered his brigade to fall back to the +river. Colonel Grider, bearing his regimental flag in his hand, rallied +his brigade three times in succession while retiring, and checked the +advance of the Confederate line by volleys of musketry. The pursuit of +Beatty’s three brigades led the Confederate columns to the right of Grose, +and as soon as it could be done with safety Livingston opened upon the +advance with his artillery, but in obedience to an order from General +Rosecrans crossed the river and reopened from the opposite shore.</p> + +<p>The space between the river bank and the ridge occupied by Grose’s Brigade +was now a scene of the wildest disorder. Instances of the most exalted +courage were displayed. It was here that Corporal Hochersmith, color guard +of the Twenty-first Kentucky, and Sergeant Gunn, of the same regiment, won +the gold medals voted them by the legislature of their native State. When +confronted by a squad of Lewis’ skirmishers, who demanded his flag, the +brave corporal said: “You can take me but not my colors,” and threw the +flag over their heads into the river, where it was seized by Sergeant Gunn +and borne in safety through a shower of balls to the opposite shore, where +the regiment immediately rallied around it.</p> + +<p>It may well be understood that General Crittenden, under whose observation +his old division had been driven from its position back across the river, +was by no means an uninterested spectator of the scene. It had all passed +so rapidly as to afford no time to reinforce the line when first +assaulted, and when it had commenced falling back the west side of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +river was evidently the best position to reform and reinforce it. His men +had no sooner gained the low ground near the river than, turning to his +chief of artillery, he said: “Now, Mendenhall, you must cover my men with +your cannon.” Never was a more tremendous response to so simple a request. +In his report, Captain Mendenhall says: “Captain Swallow had already +opened with his battery. I ordered Lieutenant Parsons to move a little +forward and open with his guns, then rode back to bring up Lieutenant +Estepp with his Eighth Indiana Battery. Meeting Captain Morton, with his +brigade of Pioneers, he asked for advice, and I told him to move briskly +forward with his brigade and send his battery to the crest of the hill +near the batteries already engaged. The Eighth Indiana Battery took +position on the right of Lieutenant Parsons. Seeing that Lieutenant +Osborne was in position between Parsons and Estepp, I rode to Lieutenant +Stevens, Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Battery, and ordered him to change +front to the left and open fire; then to Captain Standart, and directed +him to move to the left with his guns, and he took position covering the +ford. I found that Captain Bradley had anticipated my wishes, and had +changed front to fire to the left, and opened upon the enemy. This battery +was near the railroad. Lieutenant Livingston crossed the river and opened +fire again. During this terrible encounter, of little more than an hour in +duration, forty-three pieces belonging to the left wing; the ‘Board of +Trade’ Battery, and nine guns from General Negley’s division—fifty-eight +pieces of artillery—played upon the enemy.” The effect of the storm of +iron that swept the front of these batteries is indescribable. It tore +through the mass of men as they swarmed down the slope, mowing down scores +at each discharge. Not less than one hundred shots per minute were fired +with unerring aim. Branches of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> trees, lopped off by cannon balls, +pinioned men to the earth. For a few minutes they held their ground; then +a wild terror seized upon them and bore them away. General Hanson fell +among the first. His brigade lost over 400 in killed and wounded; the loss +in the division was 1,400. There was no thought now of attacking Grose; +there was but one thought paramount in the hearts of all, and that was to +get to a place of safety. They no sooner turned than Beatty’s men were +upon them, pouring in volley after volley upon the retreating enemy. +Hazen’s Brigade crossed further down the stream; Jeff C. Davis on his +left, Miller and Morton at the ford, and moving rapidly forward the line +swept up the slope. The artillery fire ceased, and the minnie rifles, +taking up the refrain continued it until darkness closed the scene. Three +guns of Wright’s Battery, abandoned by Breckinridge, to whose division it +belonged, stood upon the crest of the hill. The horses, killed by the +tempest of iron that had fallen here, lay heaped together; the gunners, +mangled by exploded shells, dotted the ground around the battery. As the +Union line pressed forward on each side a boy clad in Confederate gray +(Private Wright), mounted upon one of the guns, stood guard over the +wreck. Swinging a hatchet above his head he shouted: “The first Yankee +that touches one of these guns dies.” Saluting him with a rousing cheer +the line pressed on, leaving this second Cassabianca master of the +situation.</p> + +<p>Although the Confederate forces, yielding to the irresistible logic of +Mendenhall’s guns, had considered not so much upon the order of going as +upon its rapidity, until beyond the range of the artillery, many of them +rallied behind Robinson’s Battery and Anderson’s Brigade in the narrow +skirt of timber, from which they emerged to the assault. The Union line +advanced and took position upon the ground from which Beatty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> had been +driven an hour before. The picket lines of both armies occupied opposite +sides of the open field, over which Breckinridge had advanced, and +darkness covered the battle-field. During the night General Cleburne moved +his division over to its original position on the right, in support of +Breckinridge, and General Hardee resumed command of that portion of the +line.</p> + +<p>Apprehending the possible success of a flank attack upon his left, Bragg +had caused all the tents and baggage to be loaded on wagons and sent to +the rear. On Saturday morning, the 3d of January, the soldiers of both +armies had been in battle for four days and nights; their provisions, if +cooked at all, were scanty and unfit to eat; their clothing soaked with +rain and stiff with mud, with no fires to dry them and to warm their +chilled bodies, they had responded with a will to every command. With +death beckoning them to his clammy embrace they had advanced with +unfaltering tread, leaving their trail marked by the dead forms of their +comrades. Even now there was no word of complaint. It rested with the +generals in command of the contending armies whether another holocaust of +lives should be offered before either would acknowledge himself +vanquished. No thought of retreat had at any time entered the minds of +Rosecrans, Thomas, or Crittenden. With one exception, neither of the +division commanders in the center or on the left wings had favored it. +McCook, after his bloody repulse on the 31st, had advised falling back +upon Nashville upon purely military grounds, but had readily acquiesced in +the decision of the commanding general to “fight or die right here.” The +fugitives in his command who had not pursued their shameless way to +Nashville had rallied to their standards and were anxious to restore their +tarnished laurels. The losses during the three days of battle were nearly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +evenly divided. General Bragg acknowledged a loss of 9,000 in killed and +wounded, 25 per cent of his army of 38,250, while General Rosecrans’ +report shows a loss of 8,778, over 20 per cent of killed and wounded of +his force of 43,400. It is impossible to do full justice to the heroic +constancy of the soldiers of the Union, whose valor wrung victory from +defeat on the morning of the 31st of December, and who all through that +terrible day bared their breasts to the storm of battle. To the living the +great wealth of a Nation’s gratitude is due, but to those to whom death +came in the cause of National unity, his</p> + +<p class="poem">“Voice sounds like a prophet’s word<br /> +And in its solemn tones are heard<br /> +The thanks of millions yet to be.”</p> + +<p>It came like a pæan of victory to the ears of the long suffering President +and to the sorely taxed patience of the loyal people of the United States. +It fell with the dull thud of a mortal wound upon the hearts of the +Southern people. Gone and forever dispelled were the fond delusions that +one Confederate was equal to three Yankees. Henceforth it was known by +each that victory would perch upon the banner of the strongest force, and +that the god of battle was on the side of the heaviest artillery. As the +blood of the martyr is the seed of the church, so was that spilled at +Stones River the inspiration by which the magnificent Army of the +Cumberland bore its banners through two years more of carnage to final +victory. They renewed their vows of fidelity to the flag of their country +upon the field of Chickamauga and upon the bloody slope of Mission Ridge, +and through a hundred days of battle to Atlanta, at Franklin, and +Nashville. Marching through Georgia with Sherman to the sea, the devoted +soldiery followed their leaders with unfaltering courage, billowing every +battle-field with the graves of their fallen comrades.</p> + + +<p> </p><p> </p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><b>Transcriber’s Notes:</b></p> + +<p>“Stones” (rather than “Stone’s”) is used consistently throughout the original text.</p> + +<p>The lone quotation mark on page 5 appears in this text as it is presented in the original.</p> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Third Day at Stone's River, by +Gilbert C. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Third Day at Stone's River + +Author: Gilbert C. Kniffin + +Release Date: April 18, 2010 [EBook #32039] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THIRD DAY AT STONE'S RIVER *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + Military Order of the Loyal Legion + Of the + United States. + + + COMMANDERY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. + + + WAR PAPERS. + 69 + + The Third Day at Stone's River. + + + PREPARED BY COMPANION + LIEUTENANT-COLONEL + GILBERT C. KNIFFIN, + U. S. VOLUNTEERS, + + AND + READ AT THE STATED MEETING OF MAY 1, 1907. + + + + +The Third Day at Stone's River. + + +While the heroic commander of the Union Army, with fearless confidence in +his remaining troops, was hurling the hard-hitting brigades of the left +and center upon Hardee's victorious advance during the first day of the +fight at Stones River, kindling anew the dying embers of hope in the +breasts of the retreating soldiers of the right, and by his exalted +courage snatching victory from the jaws of defeat; while Thomas calm and +brave, with perfect presence of mind, superintended every move in the +desperate game of battle, watchful of every point, a tower of strength to +his devoted men, and Crittenden, more cheerful than usual in the hell of +carnage that raged along his front, brought regiment after regiment and +battery after battery in support of the point where Hazen, and Hascall, +and Grose, and Cruft were clinging tenaciously to their position, and +beating back the desperate charges of Polk and Breckinridge, the cavalry +were performing prodigies of valor in the rear and on the right. General +Wheeler, on his return from his exploits at La Verne, to the rear of +Hardee's line on the morning of the 31st, found that the battle had +opened. He immediately joined in the pursuit of Johnson's retiring +division, while Wharton, in command of ten regiments of cavalry, and a +battery of artillery, moved over towards the Nashville pike and turned his +attention to the immense supply train of the army. A portion of this +train, six miles long when stretched out upon the road, was moving across +the country from the Wilkinson to the Nashville pike. The scene was one of +the most indescribable confusion. Urged by impending calamity the +canvas-covered wagons flew across the fields with the velocity of +four-mule power, each driver plying whip and spur; sutler wagons bounding +over the rocks, distributed their precious contents along the way. +Stanley's thin line of cavalry, stretching from the woods in the rear of +Negley to the right and left, rested its right flank upon the Wilkinson +pike, where Colonel Zahm, with the First, Third, and Fourth Ohio Cavalry +was stationed in rear of Overall's Creek. + +Colonel Minty, in command of 950 cavalry, crossed Overall's Creek early in +the morning and took position parallel to and a mile distant from the +Nashville pike. The Fourth Michigan and First Tennessee dismounted, formed +a skirmish line with Jenning's Battalion of the Seventh Pennsylvania and +two companies of the Third Kentucky, under Captain Davis, supported by the +Anderson Troop in their rear. Wharton advanced at full charge, after a few +volleys from his artillery, but meeting with stubborn resistance drew off, +but in a few minutes rallied and bore down, two thousand strong, upon +Minty's little command. The Anderson Troop gave way and the Confederate +troopers swept past the left. Hastily remounting, the remainder of the +command fell back across an open field out of range of the artillery, +leaving the train, with fully a thousand fugitives from the battle-field, +in possession of the enemy. At daybreak Zahm's brigade was drawn up in +line of battle and two squadrons were sent to the right and front to +reconnoitre. Soon the cannons' opening roar upon his left announced the +beginning of battle. The rush of infantry to the rear gave token of +disaster. Now came the exultant shout of victory and the sweeping charge +of McCown's columns overlapping Johnson, and appearing on the right of the +cavalry. Falling back, Zahm formed in line of battle a mile in rear, +where the enemy opened upon him with artillery The first shell killed +Major Moore, of the First Ohio. Again he fell back, when Willich's old +regiment halted in its retreat and formed in support of the cavalry, when +the two repulsed a charge, but only for a moment. The torrent of fugitives +fled through the woods like leaves before the blast, and after them +pressed the charging regiments of Ector and Raines' Confederate cavalry in +resistless volume. Meanwhile, Wharton's Cavalry Brigade was moving rapidly +past Colonel Zahm's right, and the Confederate infantry pushing by his +left at a distance of two hundred yards. An aide to General McCook came +requesting succor for the supply train moving over toward the Nashville +pike. Col. Gates P. Thruston, one of McCook's aides, gave a graphic +picture of the capture and recapture of the precious supply train. +"McCook's baggage train, starting for the rear, was soon in the hands of +the enemy; our supply trains shared the same fate. Gen. Joe Wheeler's +command appeared in rear of our flank on the Murfreesboro pike, and all +soon became excitement and confusion there. Wharton, after a succession of +captures, charged over the fields in rear far down toward our infantry +lines, sweeping everything before him. By Rosecrans' orders Stanley's +Cavalry hastened to the rescue. There was a succession of conflicts over a +wide field, with varying fortunes. The whole area in rear between our +right and left was a scene of strife and confusion that beggars +description. Stragglers from the front, teamsters, couriers, negro +servants, hospital attendants, ambulances added to the turmoil. Wounded +and riderless horses and cattle, wild with fright, rushed frantically over +the field. + +While in the open ground, moving our ammunition train rapidly to the left, +it was discovered by the enemy. In my anxiety for its safety I had +already reported the importance of the train to every cavalry officer +within reach, and appealed for protection. Colonel Zahm, of the Second +Ohio Cavalry as he states in his report (official record), promised me all +possible help, and promptly formed his regiment in line for that purpose. +Major Pugh, of the Fourth Ohio Cavalry, at my request also placed his +regiment on our flank, facing the enemy. The First Ohio and the Second +East Tennessee and a battalion of the Third Ohio Cavalry were near at +hand. + +Alas, when the crisis came a few minutes later they were not in position +to successfully withstand the shock. They were unprepared, and not in +brigade line. Wharton's Confederates unexpectedly appeared in great force. +His artillery opened fire furiously upon the Fourth Ohio Cavalry, and +threw the regiment into some confusion. Soon apparently his entire command +charged down upon us like a tempest, his troopers yelling like a lot of +devils. They first struck the Fourth Ohio, which could make but little +resistance. Col. Minor Millikin, the gallant commander of the First Ohio, +led a portion of his regiment in a brilliant counter charge, but had to +retire with fearful losses. In the onslaught the dear, fearless colonel, +my intimate college friend, engaged in single combat with a Texas ranger, +and was slain. + +"There was no staying the Confederates. They outnumbered and outflanked +us, and, to tell the melancholy truth, our defending cavalry finally +retired in confusion to the rear and left the ammunition train to its +fate--high and dry in a corn field. As may be imagined, our teamsters, the +train guards, and the ordnance officer (yes, I must admit it), were not +left far behind in the general stampede. We fired one volley from behind +the protection of our wagons and then hunted cover in the rear of a +friendly fence and in the nearest thicket. Our teamsters outran the +cavalry. Most of them never reappeared. The Confederates began to collect +and lead away our teams and wagons, and our condition seemed desperate, +indeed, hopeless. + +"Happily, this appalling state of affairs did not last long. Some of our +cavalry rallied, other Union detachments came to the rescue. Wharton had +soon to look to his own flanks, and was kept too busy to carry off our +train. The conflict fortunately shifted. Capt. Elmer Otis, with six +companies of the Fourth Regular Cavalry, attacked Wharton's command with +great vigor and success. Soon two battalions of the Third Ohio Cavalry +came up from the rear. I hastened to appeal to the commander to aid our +train guard in saving the train, and he at once covered our front and held +the enemy in check until our badly-wrecked train, with its disabled wagons +and scattered animals was reorganized and put in moving order. We repaired +and patched up the breaks. Everybody, even officers and stragglers helped, +and nearly every wagon was finally recovered." + +The third attack referred to by General Thruston came from a force that +Wharton had not yet met. Before they had time to take advantage of their +success, Kennett was upon them. Col. Eli H. Murray, at the head of his +gallant regiment, the Third Kentucky, charged down upon the train, +sweeping Wharton's cavalry before him. Here the brave Captain Wolfley, +with eighty men, and Captain Breathitt, with his battalion, charged with +such velocity as to turn the tide of battle, driving the rear forward upon +the front, where the Fourth Cavalry struck it with drawn sabers. The rout +of the Confederates was complete. The entire train, with 250 prisoners, +were recaptured. The hospital of Palmer's division, which had fallen into +their hands, as well as the Fifth Wisconsin Battery, and one section of +the First Ohio, were recaptured, and Wharton's Brigade routed and driven +back two miles. The Third Ohio easily rallied and took part in the fray. +Captain Otis' saber charge was brilliantly executed. Dashing forward with +the velocity of a locomotive, the trained battalions fell upon the +undisciplined mob huddled together at the head of the train where Murray +had swept them in his irresistible onslaught. The train was moved close up +in the rear of the left wing, where it remained unmolested during the +remainder of the day. In a battle such as that at Stones River, where a +long line of troops is engaged simultaneously, it is impossible to give +due credit to each regiment that deserves it. The writer witnessed scenes +of personal daring which to recount would occupy the night in the +description. There were many instances in which officers, casting aside +their swords, seized the muskets of their fallen soldiers, and fought side +by side with their men. Entire companies fought without officers. In great +emergencies such as this there is positively no rank except that which +valor bestows. Orders to fall back were in several cases unheeded, and the +men held their places in line under the leaden hail, obstinately refusing +to retreat. It was not merely a line of battle, but a Nation in arms, +repelling, with a Nation's pride, this bold assault of its rebellious sons +upon its life. + +Darkness covered the battle-field. The roar of artillery, the rattle of +musketry, the hoarse shouts of command had ceased, and in the silence that +followed there fell upon the ears of the soldiers on picket the groans of +men in mortal agony lying within the space that separated the lines. In +rear of the pickets men sank upon the ground where they stood and shivered +through the night without fires, for the faintest flash of light on either +side became a target for alert artillerists. A cup of hot coffee, that +_Dominus donari_ to the weary soldier, on this night of all nights when he +needed it most, was denied him. All through the night the ambulances +passed to and fro on the road to the hospitals, where further torture +awaited the wounded, unless the angel of death kindly relieved them of the +ministrations of the surgeons. A space twenty yards in front of the White +House, near Overall's Creek, was covered with the mangled forms of men +awaiting their turn upon the operating tables. Inside were groups of +surgeons with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, their brawny arms red with +blood, one handling the saw, another the knife, another the probe, while +others bound up the bleeding stumps and turned the patient, henceforth the +Nation's ward, over to nurses, who bore them tenderly away. In a corner +lay a ghastly heap of arms and legs and hands and feet, useless +forevermore. The busy fingers which had indited the last fond message to +the anxious wife or mother would never caress them more. Does this +horrible recital grate upon the ear? It is as much a part of the history +of a battle as is the furious charge and repulse from which it resulted. +Forty years have passed since that awful scene was witnessed. The stalwart +young men left upon the firing line are old men now, and, in the judgment +of some chiefs of bureaus, too old to longer serve the Government. + +The writer, returning from a ride along the lines, where he had been under +orders to see that all fires were extinguished, came upon a regular +battery, in the rear of which, at the bottom of a trench of glowing coals, +the artillerists were cooking supper. The savory smell of broiling steak +and steaming pots of coffee saluted his nostrils. Dismounting, he was at +once invited to partake of a soldier's hospitality. His tired horse was +fed, and in a moment he received at the hands of a grizzly veteran a cup +of coffee and a cake of hard bread, covered with juicy steak, tender and +succulent. His meal dispatched, he was about to remount and ride back to +headquarters, when he was asked if he knew where the steak came from. He +said he did not, but that it was the best he ever ate. "Come here, and I +will show you," said the sergeant. He led the way a few yards distant +where an artillery horse lay dead, killed by a cannon ball. His flank had +been stripped of the skin, and the tender, juicy steak that had +contributed to the enjoyment of the writer had been cut from the flesh. + +At army headquarters a strange scene, revealing the characteristics of the +prominent commanding officers, was presented. With prudent regard for the +safety of his supplies, General Rosecrans had ordered the subsistence +train back to Nashville, thus enabling him to manoeuver his army without +regard to front or rear. There was no indication that Bragg contemplated +withdrawal, and the prevailing impression was that a heavy assault would +be made upon some point of the Union line early in the morning. Where +would the blow fall? Would the line at that point be strong enough to +resist it? Has Bragg any troops that have not been engaged? Are +reinforcements for him on the way? were questions more easily asked than +answered. + +Mounting his horse, the commanding general rode to the rear, accompanied +by General Stanley and a few staff officers. Past the hospital, to +Overall's Creek, the group of horsemen pursued their way. In the fields on +both sides of the road the darkness was dispelled by bivouac fires lighted +by the straggling soldiery of the right wing. Along the pike the long +supply train moved slowly and steadily toward Nashville, while here and +there a few wagons were cut out of it by a faithful commissary, the +contents of which, after a hard night's work, he would succeed in +transferring to the soldiers' haversacks. + +Walker's and Starkweather's brigades had already passed to the front, +where the former bivouacked in close column in reserve in rear of McCook's +left, and the latter, posted on the left of Sheridan, next morning +relieved Van Cleve's division, now commanded by Col. Sam Beatty, which +resumed its position in the left wing. Generals Van Cleve and Wood, each +suffering from wounds in the foot, were sent in ambulances back to +Nashville. + +Headquarters were located in a double log house, which then stood on the +east side of the turnpike about opposite the lower ford of Stones River. +In a room on the left hand, General Thomas sat before a fire, asleep; the +officers of his staff, stretched upon the floor, with their feet to the +fire, were also asleep. Ready at a moment's warning to obey any order that +might be given him, the old soldier was snatching a brief respite from +care, in the friendly arms of Morpheus. To a question of General +Rosecrans, earlier in the evening, he had made the characteristic reply: +"The question of retiring from the battle-field is one of such delicacy +that I am quite willing to leave it to the judgment of the commanding +general." On the right of the passageway a far different scene was +presented. General Crittenden paced the floor with quick, impatient +stride. "Communication is cut off," said one. "We must fall back," said +another, and the words were deliberately uttered by a brave man. "My corps +is not whipped," shouted Crittenden, "and we must not fall back." At this +moment General Rosecrans entered the room and caught the expression as it +fell from the lips of his heroic commander. "Gentlemen, we fight or die +right here," said the chief as he passed them and took a seat by the fire. + +The sun of the New Year rose bright and fair; an occasional gun gave token +of the proximity of the two contending armies. During the night Rosecrans +retired his left to a more advantageous position, the extreme left resting +on Stones River above the lower ford and extending to Stokes' Battery, +posted on a knoll on Rousseau's right. Beatty's division was posted across +Stones River on the margin of the woodland that covered a gentle slope +from the river to an open field in their front. Across the field, the +Lebanon road, running nearly at right angles with the front of Beatty's +line, was nearly in sight. Off to their right and front an elevation still +held by Hanson's Brigade of Breckinridge's division, was crowned by Cobb's +Battery of Artillery. The Confederate line, formed by Polk and +Breckinridge on the right and Hardee on the left, extended from the point +on Stones River where Chalmer's Brigade had bivouacked since the 28th, in +a direction almost at right angles with its original line. + +The body of the brave General Sill was found where it had fallen, and sent +to Murfreesboro, where it was buried. At dawn on the 1st of January the +right flank of General Polk was advanced to occupy the ground vacated by +the left flank of the Union Army. Neither commander deemed it advisable to +attack, but each was watchful of every movement of the other. The picket +lines of either side were thrust forward within sight of the main lines of +the opposing force, on the alert to notify their commanders of any +movement in their front. As two gladiators of equal strength, who, having +fought until nature is exhausted, stretch their herculean forms upon the +earth, each confident that his antagonist is as unable as himself to renew +the contest, rise when refreshed and glare upon each other, watchful for +advantage, so were these contending armies, drawn up in firm array, weaker +in numerical strength, but more compact and infinitely stronger in +indomitable will, on the morning of the New Year, each awaiting the order +to advance and close in a final struggle. It was the crouching of tigers +before the death grapple. + +The rest afforded the weary troops of both armies, many of whom were +smarting with wounds which were not sufficiently serious to render their +removal to the hospital necessary, fell with the grace of a benediction +upon the scene of strife. As the ponderous bells of a great city, at +stated periods, rising above the hum of traffic fill the air with the +uproar of deep, sonorous strokes, and smaller ones fill with their clangor +the intervals of sound, so did the artillery ever and anon break upon the +silence with sullen roar, while the sharp rattle of picket firing, now on +the right, then on the left, recall the terrible strife of yesterday and +foretell the impending conflict. + +Night came, and the contending hosts sank to rest in the mud, upon their +arms, in the rear of the stout picket lines, lulled to sleep by the +booming of an occasional gun or the report of an exploding shell. The sun +arose upon the second morning of the new year and glowed pleasantly upon +Union and Confederate alike. The exercises of the day commenced as usual +by picket firing along the lines, and was followed by an artillery duel +between Estepp's Battery of Wood's division and Scott's Battery of +Cheatham's division, in front of the Round Forrest, in which Estepp was +worsted. Bradley took up the gauntlet and was fast getting the best of it +when one of the batteries in his rear undertook to throw grape over his +head, when he was forced to retire. + +Reinforcements now came to both sides and a spirited contest ensued. +Stokes, Loomis, and Guenther each in succession took part in the fight, +which was confined exclusively to artillery. Robertson's Battery of +Wither's division, from its position near the Burnt Brick House, and +Semple's Battery on the left, had accurate range of the Union batteries, +and their guns were handled with skill. But the artillery fire soon +ceased. Chalmer's Brigade had advanced early on New Year's morning, and +his skirmishers now occupied the ground which Hazen had so stubbornly +contended for on the first day of the battle. Price's Brigade, which +assumed its position in Van Cleve's division, now commanded by Col. Samuel +Beatty, was on the right of the division. + +The line as thus formed was at right angles with the river, upon which its +right flank rested, and nearly parallel to Breckinridge's original line. +Below the right of the line the river suddenly changes direction, flowing +about a half a mile in rear and nearly parallel with the line. The gently +sloping ground was woodland on the right and open field on the left. + +To strengthen the left flank, Colonel Grose's Brigade of Palmer's +division, reduced by hard fighting on the 31st to 1,000 effectives, was +ordered by General Crittenden to cross the river on the morning of the 2d +of January. These dispositions were barely completed and temporary +breastworks constructed when, at four o'clock, a magnificent sight +presented itself. General Bragg confidently expected to find the Union +Army gone from his front on the morning of the 2d of January. His cavalry +had reported the Nashville pike full of troops and wagons moving toward +Nashville. On the return of the cavalry expedition he sent Wharton to +assume command of the cavalry on the Lebanon road, consisting of his own +and Pegram's Brigade, while Wheeler, with his brigade, returned to the +vicinity of the Nashville pike to observe the movements of the Union Army +in that direction. Before Wharton had taken his position, the force east +of Stones River had attracted Bragg's attention, and reconnaissances by +staff officers revealed the line of battle formed by Beatty's division and +Grose's Brigade. From the position occupied by this force, Polk's line, +which, it will be remembered, had advanced as far as the position vacated +by Rosecrans' left on the night of the 31st, was enfiladed. Bragg says: +"The dislodgement of this force, or the withdrawal of Polk's line, was an +evident necessity. The latter involved consequences not to be entertained. +Orders were accordingly given for the concentration of the whole of +General Breckinridge's division in front of the position to be taken, the +addition to his command of ten Napoleon guns (12-pounders), under Captain +Robertson, an able and accomplished artillery officer, and for the cavalry +forces of Wharton and Pegram to join in the attack on his right." General +Breckinridge was sent for and the object of the movement explained to him. +He was ordered to drive the Union line back, crown the hill, entrench the +artillery, and hold the position. General Breckinridge was opposed to the +attack as ordered by General Bragg, and tried to dissuade him from it, +predicting disaster, as the ground occupied by the main portion of the +Union troops on the bluff on the opposite bank of the river was +considerably higher than that over which the attacking force must march, +and it was possible for Rosecrans to mass artillery and sweep the whole +field. In urging his opinions he drew, with a stick, on the ground the +position of the contending forces. Considerable time was occupied in the +discussion, but Bragg remained firm, and finally ended the discussion by +an imperative command to move at once to the attack. As General +Breckinridge rode forward to his command he met General Preston, +commanding his Third Brigade, and said: "This attack is made against my +judgment and by the special orders of General Bragg. Of course we must all +do our duty and fight the best we can. If it should result in disaster, +and I be among the slain, I want you to do justice to my memory, and tell +the people that I believed this movement to be very unwise, and that I +tried to prevent it." + +To distract the attention from the real point of attack a heavy artillery +fire was ordered to be opened from Polk's front at the exact hour at which +the movement was to begin. At other points along both lines all was quiet, +and at half-past three General Breckinridge reported that he would advance +at four o'clock. The effective strength of Breckinridge's division on the +morning of the 31st was 7,053. Adding two batteries and deducting 730 men +disabled in the three brigades of Palmer, Preston, and Adams, in the +assault of the 31st in front of the Round Forrest, left 6,576 infantry and +artillery, 3,000 cavalry, and seven batteries of artillery with which to +make the attack. Hanson's fine brigade of Kentuckians, who had signalized +their valor at Shiloh and Baton Rouge, 1,000 strong, had up to this time +been disengaged. + +The movement of Breckinridge's command was observed by General Crittenden +from the bluff on the opposite bank of Stones River, above the lower ford, +from the moment that the advance commenced. To reach Beatty's line it was +necessary to cross an open space six or seven hundred yards in width, with +a gentle ascent, in full view from the opposite shore, as well as from the +front line of Beatty's division. In the assault that followed a brief +cannonade, Hanson's left was thrown forward close to the river bank, with +guns loaded and bayonets fixed, under orders to fire once, then charge +with the bayonet. This charge of General Breckinridge will live in the +memories of those who witnessed it, coupled in precision of formation, in +rapidity of movement, and in grandeur of execution, if not in results, +with the charge of the armies of the Cumberland and Tennessee at Mission +Ridge, the storming of Lookout Mountain by Geary's division of Hooker's +Corps, and the no less thrilling spectacle in front of Kenesaw, when the +brave and lamented Harker and McCook, with 2,000 men, were launched +against a fortified position, bristling with artillery, between the two +contending armies. On the right of Price's Brigade the Eighth Kentucky, +commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel May, received the first attack, made by +Colonel Lewis' Sixth Kentucky, Confederate, followed in quick succession +by a charge from Hanson's and Pillow's Brigades; then in successive +strokes from right to left the blows fell all along Beatty's line. +Overborne by the numerical strength of the Confederate brigades, the +gallant men of this veteran division, 2,500 strong fighting bravely, were +hammered back by overwhelming force. For full ten minutes they stood in +line, pouring a galling fire upon the oncoming line, which, leaving its +course marked by the writhing forms of its fallen braves, pressed forward, +overlapping the right, where they were met by Lieutenant-Colonel Evans +with the reserves of the Twenty-first Kentucky, and by Colonel Swayne, +with the Ninety-ninth Ohio. These regiments, changing front to the right, +held their ground firmly and administered volley after volley upon the +skirmishers of the Confederate Sixth Kentucky, who pushed forward toward +the ford. The front line falling back, followed rapidly by the entire +Confederate line, loading as they retired, and turning to fire upon their +assailants, became intermingled with the reserves, when, in a confused +mass, assailants and assailed, fighting hand to hand, moved in a +resistless volume toward the river. The reserve regiments, the Ninth +Kentucky, Lieutenant-Colonel Cram; Nineteenth Ohio, Lieutenant-Colonel +Manderson, and the Eleventh Kentucky, Major Mottley, undaunted by the +disaster upon the right, advanced through a thick undergrowth of wild +briars, and came suddenly upon Adam's and Preston's Brigades, which, +driving Fyffe's Brigade and the Seventy-ninth Indiana before them, were +moving with rapid strides toward Grose's position on the extreme left. +Meanwhile the brigades of Hanson and Pillow had gained positions to their +right and the movement toward the ford threatened to cut these regiments +still remaining on the left off from retreat. At Colonel Manderson's +suggestion, Colonel Grider now ordered his brigade to fall back to the +river. Colonel Grider, bearing his regimental flag in his hand, rallied +his brigade three times in succession while retiring, and checked the +advance of the Confederate line by volleys of musketry. The pursuit of +Beatty's three brigades led the Confederate columns to the right of Grose, +and as soon as it could be done with safety Livingston opened upon the +advance with his artillery, but in obedience to an order from General +Rosecrans crossed the river and reopened from the opposite shore. + +The space between the river bank and the ridge occupied by Grose's Brigade +was now a scene of the wildest disorder. Instances of the most exalted +courage were displayed. It was here that Corporal Hochersmith, color guard +of the Twenty-first Kentucky, and Sergeant Gunn, of the same regiment, won +the gold medals voted them by the legislature of their native State. When +confronted by a squad of Lewis' skirmishers, who demanded his flag, the +brave corporal said: "You can take me but not my colors," and threw the +flag over their heads into the river, where it was seized by Sergeant Gunn +and borne in safety through a shower of balls to the opposite shore, where +the regiment immediately rallied around it. + +It may well be understood that General Crittenden, under whose observation +his old division had been driven from its position back across the river, +was by no means an uninterested spectator of the scene. It had all passed +so rapidly as to afford no time to reinforce the line when first +assaulted, and when it had commenced falling back the west side of the +river was evidently the best position to reform and reinforce it. His men +had no sooner gained the low ground near the river than, turning to his +chief of artillery, he said: "Now, Mendenhall, you must cover my men with +your cannon." Never was a more tremendous response to so simple a request. +In his report, Captain Mendenhall says: "Captain Swallow had already +opened with his battery. I ordered Lieutenant Parsons to move a little +forward and open with his guns, then rode back to bring up Lieutenant +Estepp with his Eighth Indiana Battery. Meeting Captain Morton, with his +brigade of Pioneers, he asked for advice, and I told him to move briskly +forward with his brigade and send his battery to the crest of the hill +near the batteries already engaged. The Eighth Indiana Battery took +position on the right of Lieutenant Parsons. Seeing that Lieutenant +Osborne was in position between Parsons and Estepp, I rode to Lieutenant +Stevens, Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Battery, and ordered him to change +front to the left and open fire; then to Captain Standart, and directed +him to move to the left with his guns, and he took position covering the +ford. I found that Captain Bradley had anticipated my wishes, and had +changed front to fire to the left, and opened upon the enemy. This battery +was near the railroad. Lieutenant Livingston crossed the river and opened +fire again. During this terrible encounter, of little more than an hour in +duration, forty-three pieces belonging to the left wing; the 'Board of +Trade' Battery, and nine guns from General Negley's division--fifty-eight +pieces of artillery--played upon the enemy." The effect of the storm of +iron that swept the front of these batteries is indescribable. It tore +through the mass of men as they swarmed down the slope, mowing down scores +at each discharge. Not less than one hundred shots per minute were fired +with unerring aim. Branches of trees, lopped off by cannon balls, +pinioned men to the earth. For a few minutes they held their ground; then +a wild terror seized upon them and bore them away. General Hanson fell +among the first. His brigade lost over 400 in killed and wounded; the loss +in the division was 1,400. There was no thought now of attacking Grose; +there was but one thought paramount in the hearts of all, and that was to +get to a place of safety. They no sooner turned than Beatty's men were +upon them, pouring in volley after volley upon the retreating enemy. +Hazen's Brigade crossed further down the stream; Jeff C. Davis on his +left, Miller and Morton at the ford, and moving rapidly forward the line +swept up the slope. The artillery fire ceased, and the minnie rifles, +taking up the refrain continued it until darkness closed the scene. Three +guns of Wright's Battery, abandoned by Breckinridge, to whose division it +belonged, stood upon the crest of the hill. The horses, killed by the +tempest of iron that had fallen here, lay heaped together; the gunners, +mangled by exploded shells, dotted the ground around the battery. As the +Union line pressed forward on each side a boy clad in Confederate gray +(Private Wright), mounted upon one of the guns, stood guard over the +wreck. Swinging a hatchet above his head he shouted: "The first Yankee +that touches one of these guns dies." Saluting him with a rousing cheer +the line pressed on, leaving this second Cassabianca master of the +situation. + +Although the Confederate forces, yielding to the irresistible logic of +Mendenhall's guns, had considered not so much upon the order of going as +upon its rapidity, until beyond the range of the artillery, many of them +rallied behind Robinson's Battery and Anderson's Brigade in the narrow +skirt of timber, from which they emerged to the assault. The Union line +advanced and took position upon the ground from which Beatty had been +driven an hour before. The picket lines of both armies occupied opposite +sides of the open field, over which Breckinridge had advanced, and +darkness covered the battle-field. During the night General Cleburne moved +his division over to its original position on the right, in support of +Breckinridge, and General Hardee resumed command of that portion of the +line. + +Apprehending the possible success of a flank attack upon his left, Bragg +had caused all the tents and baggage to be loaded on wagons and sent to +the rear. On Saturday morning, the 3d of January, the soldiers of both +armies had been in battle for four days and nights; their provisions, if +cooked at all, were scanty and unfit to eat; their clothing soaked with +rain and stiff with mud, with no fires to dry them and to warm their +chilled bodies, they had responded with a will to every command. With +death beckoning them to his clammy embrace they had advanced with +unfaltering tread, leaving their trail marked by the dead forms of their +comrades. Even now there was no word of complaint. It rested with the +generals in command of the contending armies whether another holocaust of +lives should be offered before either would acknowledge himself +vanquished. No thought of retreat had at any time entered the minds of +Rosecrans, Thomas, or Crittenden. With one exception, neither of the +division commanders in the center or on the left wings had favored it. +McCook, after his bloody repulse on the 31st, had advised falling back +upon Nashville upon purely military grounds, but had readily acquiesced in +the decision of the commanding general to "fight or die right here." The +fugitives in his command who had not pursued their shameless way to +Nashville had rallied to their standards and were anxious to restore their +tarnished laurels. The losses during the three days of battle were nearly +evenly divided. General Bragg acknowledged a loss of 9,000 in killed and +wounded, 25 per cent of his army of 38,250, while General Rosecrans' +report shows a loss of 8,778, over 20 per cent of killed and wounded of +his force of 43,400. It is impossible to do full justice to the heroic +constancy of the soldiers of the Union, whose valor wrung victory from +defeat on the morning of the 31st of December, and who all through that +terrible day bared their breasts to the storm of battle. To the living the +great wealth of a Nation's gratitude is due, but to those to whom death +came in the cause of National unity, his + + "Voice sounds like a prophet's word + And in its solemn tones are heard + The thanks of millions yet to be." + +It came like a paean of victory to the ears of the long suffering President +and to the sorely taxed patience of the loyal people of the United States. +It fell with the dull thud of a mortal wound upon the hearts of the +Southern people. Gone and forever dispelled were the fond delusions that +one Confederate was equal to three Yankees. Henceforth it was known by +each that victory would perch upon the banner of the strongest force, and +that the god of battle was on the side of the heaviest artillery. As the +blood of the martyr is the seed of the church, so was that spilled at +Stones River the inspiration by which the magnificent Army of the +Cumberland bore its banners through two years more of carnage to final +victory. They renewed their vows of fidelity to the flag of their country +upon the field of Chickamauga and upon the bloody slope of Mission Ridge, +and through a hundred days of battle to Atlanta, at Franklin, and +Nashville. Marching through Georgia with Sherman to the sea, the devoted +soldiery followed their leaders with unfaltering courage, billowing every +battle-field with the graves of their fallen comrades. + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: + +The following misprints have been corrected: + "atacked" corrected to "attacked" (page 7) + "impresssion" corrected to "impression" (page 10) + "atack" corrected to "attack" (page 15) + +"Stones" (rather than "Stone's") is used consistently throughout the +original text. + +The lone quotation mark on page 5 appears in this text as it is presented +in the original. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Third Day at Stone's River, by +Gilbert C. 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